UFC Fight Night 32: Brandon Thatch Stops Paul Thiago

Brandon Thatch UFC

Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

UFC Fight Night 32 kicked off tonight, which showcased a welterweight bout between Brandon Thatch and Paul Thiago. Coming into this bout, Thatch was the superior striker, and this paid out in dividends tonight in Brazil. From the opening bell, Thatch controlled the center, landing some great leg kicks.

His expert muay thai skills shined tonight, and he eventually was able to get the finish by way of submission (taps to strikes) in the first round. The finish came from a nicely timed knee to the body from Thatch, and Thiago immediately went to the canvas and tapped to strikes.

Now, Thatch is 2-0 inside the UFC, making him a viable contender and a fighter to watch out for in the welterweight division. Not only is Thatch a world-class striker, but he’s huge for the division. He’s going to be tough going forward. Thatch is a talented striker, who seems to have improved his takedown defense as of late. Thiago was only able to get him down once, and once he did, Thatch popped right back up. So, what’s next for Thatch?

A great fight for him next would be against someone like Tarec Saffiedine. Saffiedine is a veteran of the sport, so it would be a great test for Thatch to see where he truly lies in the welterweight division. A few more wins like this, and people are going to be clamoring to see him get top contenders in the division if not already.

Jeremy Green is a MMA and NFL contributor at RantSports. You can follow him on FacebookTwitter, or Google Plus.


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